By MELISSA BEVERIDGE
Bradley Beach officials approved a plan for the gazebo at the beachfront destroyed by Superstorm to be made of vinyl, a cheaper option than wood.
Borough Engineer Bruce Koch discussed the various updates on the gazebo and noted that vinyl would save the borough approximately $10,000. The vinyl option contains wood inside of the vinyl, preventing the wood from being subjected to outside elements.
Councilman Harold Cotler expressed his support for the wood structure while Mayor Englestad and Councilmen Norman Goldfarb and Salvatore Galassetti expressed their support for the vinyl structure, mainly because of its cost effectiveness for the city. The vinyl structure was approved by council members Englestad, Goldfarb, and Galassetti. The structure was unanimously approved to feature three-tiers.
“There hasn’t been a strong argument for either vinyl or wood. However it’s almost a $10,000 difference,” said Mayor Englestad. “Bradley Beach is footing the majority of this bill.”
In other business he concession trailer for Newark Avenue was also discussed. The borough released a request for proposal (RFP) and received bids on Oct. 17 that will remain in effect until Dec. 17. The trailer will be an additional enhancement to the North End of the beach, officials said. The council will vote on the matter during the Dec. 17 meeting.
The current renter from the concession stand located on Brinley and Second Avenue is asking for a reduction in rent, stating they had lost money from the storm since they were unable to reopen in May.
“I’ve spoken with them about this. May was a lousy month, but the town had a strong summer so we assume they had the same. Are they willing to take the risk to stop the contract and rebid?” asked Englestad.
Borough Administrator Joyce Wilkins will contact the renter.
The boardwalk bench dedication program was also discussed. Since Hurricane Sandy, the old benches were ruined. The borough collected various plaques and ordered 50 benches for the gazebo area on the boardwalk. The council will ask neighboring beach towns for their bench dedication policy in order to see what would work best for Bradley Beach. Officials suggested that the current plaques be offered back to their owners, displayed on a common wall, or given the opportunity to purchase an additional bench, but only for the lifetime of the bench.
The Memorial Committee asked the Borough Council to extend the Memorial Day celebration from two to three days, starting on Saturday. The event will not be any bigger, but will be “better” committee members believe. The Council unanimously approved the extension.
During the public comment, Bradley Beach residents discussed the pavers on Main Street, their burden on property owners and the hazards they present to walkers. Englestad proposed inviting the Chamber of Commerce and the Department of Public Works to the next meeting to discuss the issue.
Bradley Beach residents, Jane DeNoble and TJ Coan, presented the council and the borough with three new flags for the oceanfront to replace the tattered flags. DeNoble and Coan donated an American flag, State of New Jersey flag, and a POW flag.
Before the meeting’s closing, Goldfarb asked volunteers to join him on Dec. 2 at 12 p.m. to help extract vegetative growth from the Maritime Forest. Volunteers are asked to bring equipment including gloves and shovels.
The next council meeting will be held on Nov. 26 at 6:30 p.m. Councilman Cotler noted that Tyler Atkins would be attending the next Borough Council meeting to discuss and answer any questions on LED streetlights.
